'A pair of star crossed loves' Fate is a key theme in Romeo and Juliet. How far do you think Shakespeare presents the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet inevitable?

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‘A pair of star crossed loves’ Fate is a key theme in Romeo and Juliet. How far do you think Shakespeare presents the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet inevitable?

Whether the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is mostly based on fate is questionable. According to the oxford dictionary fate is ’the future as determined by such a power’ or ‘death, destruction’. Many say that the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was due to the actions of themselves and others. However how could the actions of themselves and others produce such a dreadful tragedy? Especially as the characters in the play that affect the lovers path to their deathbed, such as Mercutio, the Nurse and Friar Lawrence, are the people who appear as their best and most trusted friends. Therefore I think the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was destined by fate as a result of a series of coincidences.

Mercutio, one of Romeo's friends and a supporter of the Montague household, changed the course of events by encouraging Romeo to go the Capulet's masquerade and duelling with Tybalt in town. If Mercutio had not encouraged Romeo to go to the Capulet's dance, the couple would never have met and their deaths would have been averted. But was Romeo destined to meet Juliet, regardless of the actions of others?

If Mercutio had not taunted Tybalt in town whilst out with Romeo and Benvolio, Romeo would never have got into his fight with Tybalt and therefore would not have been banished. Perhaps, however, the fight initiated by Mercutio that hapless day was inevitable: could it be that Romeo was somehow destined to be exiled?

The Nurse, Juliet's committed servant who treated her almost like a daughter, changed the course of events by going behind Lord and Lady Capulet's backs. If the Nurse had not performed Juliet's bidding and acted as her messenger, it is possible that Juliet would have given up on the idea of her marriage to Romeo and the couple's deaths would have been averted. However, there is a strong possibility that regardless of the Nurse's influence, the couple would still have gone ahead with their doomed marriage once they had fallen in love.

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The Friar, Romeo's friend and assistant of Juliet in her final plan, changed the course of events by helping the young couple in their plans to marry and assisting Juliet in her scheme to be with Romeo once again. If the Friar had not agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet, it is possible that the couple would have given up on the idea of being together. On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet may have been fated to marry and would have partaken in the ceremony one way or another no matter what the Friar's decision.

If the Friar had ...

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